Blog posts on human emotion & motivation by Sentient Decision Science, a global leader in implicit research.
Our study on the new frugality in America, commissioned by our client First Command Financial Services, has been picked up by the media recently in their continuing coverage of the subject (CNN story here; CSM here.). The question of whether frugality will last or whether it’s simply a recession strategy that will fade as the […]
Usain Bolt is unequivocally the fastest man on the planet. In fact, he is the fastest man in the recorded history of the planet. At the track and field world championships this week in Berlin, the Jamaican sprinter shattered his own world records in the 100 meter and 200 meter dash pushing the sport to […]
Society revolves around an endless parade of enviable goods—Rolex watches, Prada handbags, cars flaunting the Ferrari logo, and artwork by Rembrandt, Monet, or Warhol. After depositing a paycheck, we race to the shopping mall to snatch up the latest and greatest items, never pausing to consider the true reasons behind our “need” for these products. […]
Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein wrote Nudge with optimism and dedication as primary tools while arguing for ways which we could improve our world. And there’s no government policy shift necessary – we only need to pay closer consideration to how we present decisions to individuals. The authors show how small changes in such “choice architecture” can produce big results. You might be surprised, but just by changing the order of food items in a cafeteria can increase or decrease the frequency which certain foods are selected by as much as 25%. Imagine, just from placing the vegetables at eye level in a prominent position in our school cafeterias and placing the Hostess delicacies on a hard-to-reach shelf (or even more sinister, hide them in a cupboard where students must open a door to access them), we could significantly improve our children’s diets.
Imagine the following scenario for a moment. You have been dating Brian for some time. He has been with you through thick and thin; your strong emotional connection can weather any storm. He is completely loyal and faithful to you. However, one day, you realize that his wealthy friend, Ryan, is pretty darn attractive. You […]